Police say four stores were robbed in four hours, and all of the crimes took place just a couple of miles apart. Right now, it appears at least two or three of those cases involve the same suspects.

Surveillance video shows one employee sitting behind the register when he found himself ambushed by an armed thief who sprinted around the counter.

“He had a gun. He put head to gun and said ‘Give me all your money,’” said business owner Mike Singh.

Singh says he teaches his employees to keep their hands up and cooperate with armed intruders. The video shows the clerk following those instructions.

“That’s what he did was just- he listened to the robber. He gave him everything,” said Singh.

Within minutes, police showed up at that Mobile station on Shelby Street, but the suspect was long gone.

Two hours later, police were called to a Village Pantry on South State Street for another robbery and after that a pair of suspects came to a Shell station on Madison Avenue.

Video inside that store shows one suspect in a red hoodie point a gun at the clerk while a second suspect tried to open the door leading behind the counter. The pair got spooked when the employee pretended to make a call for help.

“My dad offered to give them money and he moved to the side and he acted like he was calling somebody and they just took off,” said business owner Gurwinder Singh.

The two suspects were in and out in of that store just 12 seconds, but Gurwinder wishes his father hadn’t been so brave.

“I told him not to be a hero. We could have easily gave them the money. It wasn’t worth the risk,” said Gurwinder.

Just minutes later, video at another store on prospect shows what appear to be the same two suspects trying to rob another clerk. The crooks didn’t get away with any money in that case either, but all the victims hope the thieves are caught before they strike again.

“There are a lot of robberies and it’s unfortunate. We work hard and people try to take it. Luckily, nobody got hurt,” said Gurwinder.

Police can’t say for sure if the first suspect is connected to the other two, but anyone with information on any of the four cases is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at 317-262-TIPS.